After the Feast
by loopid
Summary: Cato's POV. What Cato thinks after Clove dies. How and why he killed Thresh. "Alas, she too, is now gone. Only then do I realize how much Thresh and I have in common." Rated T for character death.


**Hey guys! I just thought of this randomly and so I whipped it up in and hour. I'm proud of it actually. But it's really "sad-ish" soo...**

**This is what happened after the feast, and how Cato killed Thresh.**

* * *

So my little Clovely died. I am so spitting mad right now. Why did I let her go on her own? Why? _Why?_ And why did Katniss have to make it? She didn't even deserve it! It's just because she sang to that little pathetic District 11 girl so Thresh didn't kill her. I hate the girl on fire and Lover Boy and this entire "star-crossed lover" thing! It's so stupid! Love, to me, is a sign of weakness. But that's how Thresh broke me today.

I will avenge her.

So I set off to find Thresh. It's only me, Thresh and those District 12 idiots left. Oh, how I hate them. But that gets me thinking, something I rarely do. Once I kill Thresh, I'll kill them. Then I'll win. Then I can go back to District 2.

But this strikes something in my heart. It feels like... remorse and guilt. Why am I feeling sad that I could go back home? Is it because how I'll be able to? I can go back home if I kill 3 people? No. That's not why. Because I'll kill two people in love? No, that's it either. I mean, the Capitolites will hate me forever, but why should I care? They made us do it, anyway. But I'm close, I know it.

Love... Close... Clove... Lose...

I know now. There's no point in going back home... because Clove won't be there. I lost her because of my blindness. But it was also partly because of stupid Alexia. She didn't volunteer as planned, so Clove had to be our tribute.

You might say that there is a point in winning. I could bring glory to my district. But it's suddenly not important anymore. Claudius let two victors go home, so that gave me the energy to protect her. I realize that's why I wanted to win so badly. Together we could make our district prouder than ever. But now it's only me. And our gloating will only last a year before it ends. However if Clove made it, we'd have each other for a lifetime. That's what's worth more to me than an endless year's supply of food for a whole district.

I remember I'm supposed to be hunting Thresh. I recall in grade school, when we learned about District 11...

"_Kids!" Ms. Nichols barked. We all sat up, straight, still. She continues. "Yesterday we completed District 10. Now we'll do District 11." _

_We flip through our textbooks. "What page?" I ask my best friend Clove. "107," she replies. _

_I turn to page 107, and I see a map. It's the biggest of all the districts. There were so many farms and trees. The residents had dark skin and looked ragged and torn and poor. It said that they were known for agriculture, and they worked very hard all day in the scorching sun to plant and harvest food, only to have it taken away from them. How sad, I think. I wouldn't want to live there._

So Thresh had a hard life. I recall the reaping, when they called out Thresh. He emerged from the crowd, and the camera zoomed in on what I presumed to be his family. An old lady, hunched over on a cane, and a big teenage girl. She looked somewhat older than Thresh and she was holding back tears, too. If I killed Thresh, they'd be the ones mourning him most. But what if his grandmother died from grief? What if his sister died from too much labour in place for both of them gone? I remember my older sister. She died from an avalanche. Carine had been my all-time favourite sibling; she had been so nice and protective of me when I was younger. And my Gramma? Awesome, that's the only word to describe her. But she too, died from the same avalanche that killed Carine. And that's how Clove became my all-time bestie. Alas, she too, is now gone.

Only then do I realize how much Thresh and I have in common.

* * *

I find him in a field of wheat stalks. Because of his roots, he probably knew how to get the grains and things like that. That must be how he survived all this time. I try creeping through the stalks, but I'm not known for my silence. And then he jumps up and starts sword fighting.

I whip my weapon out, and defend and dodge his attacks. Except he dodges mine too. Whenever I land a cut, he does it back. We duel for what seems like hours. I feel like giving up, until Clove's voice echoes in my head.

_I know you can do it, Cato. _

Energy surges inside me, bubbling up from the depths of my heart, running to my limbs. They must keep moving. It goes to my brain. Adrenaline and cat-like reflexes replace estimations and thoughts. Finally, it goes to my mouth. And it screams.

"I..." Painstakingly, I take a step forward.

"Will..." Another one, dodging a swipe.

"A..." I nearly slash his stomach, missing by a few millimetres.

"Venge..." I see it now. I will force him onto that tree.

"HER!" He backs up, only to be met by wood.

I seize the opportunity, pointing my sword at his neck.

And it plunges in, crimson red oozing through his tribute outfit. I feel another pang. It feels like emptiness in my throat. But I have to shake it off. The sword rests there, stuck to the poor tree.

I speak to the boy, whose eyes are squeezed shut. "Thresh?" He moans. I lean in to whisper in his ear.

"I'm sorry. But I'm avenging my Clove, just as you did with Rue. But please. Please be happy with her. It's already difficult without Clove, but it's been days since Rue died. You deserve to go back to her."

Thresh's breathing is now choked gasps. But I know he's still listening. Tears threaten to slide down my cheeks any moment now. Well, I won't let them. "And lastly... could you please... tell... tell Clove that I love her?"

Nothing happens for a moment. But then he gives the slightest of nods. And the cannon fires.


End file.
